is the economy strong enough to handle that hit? >> well, we reckon the economy is probably growing somewhere in the 1.5% to 2% range and is gradually repairing itself and healing itself with the assistance of the fiscal deficit. and this is one of the key things that if you pull that away too soon, you'll slow down the repair in the private sector balance sheets. and then you'll go much closer to stall speed so the economy will be much more vulnerable and exposed to shocks from europe, oil, you name it. >> and of course it increases the deficit, makes the troubles more difficult to direct longer term and now they want it do sort of the major reform entitlement next year. is that ever going to happen if the impetus isn't to deal with it right away? >> i think nancy pelosi and others are correct that the real issue, not just democrats, but also various republicans and bowles-simpson and everyone else, the real issue confronting the united states is not tomorrow's fiscal cliff. it's the outyears and the fiscal abyss of these entitleme